Bobbetts blog No 22, Upholstery Special
This week's its just me Cas! Helen has other commitments and can't make it. So it's down to me to keep you updated on the arts and crafts of a Bobbett.
I've decided to chat about the Upholstery course I'm doing, now 4 weeks in and I have learnt so much.
As you might know I'm a jeweller by trade but I've always been fascinated with furniture and a couple of years ago my Husband and I brought a second hand Rocco style 3 piece suite. I fell in love with it, and all that it needed was to be re upholstered! I got multiple quotes averaging £2500, eek!!! thats a lot of money, due to other projects in my house it sat in storage coming out occasionally in the summer. My friends would sit in it and sip pimms on hot summer days and act like royalty which of course they are!
2019 for Phil and I is about a year of new challenges after a couple of years of Phil's bad health, it was now time to get our projects underway. So we signed up for a 14 week course at our local adult education college and here we are 4 weeks on. The last couple of weeks I have given updates on the course but the last two sessions we have started to see progress.
Phil feeling a bit cheeky!
Over the last couple of weeks, I have given updates on the course but the last two sessions we have started to see progress.
How the chairs looked to start with.
The project so far
We both took a chair from the suite and after stripping it back we are nearly ready to reinforce the frame, this is Phil's area as he works in wood.
Take a look at some of the pieces he has made on B.O.B theres a link at the bottom of the blog.
Measuring Fabric
After doing lots of stripping work, keeping the hessian and foam that we could we were shown how to measure the fabric, pushing it into the button holes to get the right amount.
Measuring at the longest and the widest area, with the help of the tutor we worked out 5m of fabric would be needed for each chair we are still deciding what fabric to use.
Sourcing material
As this varies in price and style so much choice.
My favourites designs have been by Emma Shipley.
prints by Emma Shipley.
Also these lovely colours are a contender. upholstery found on E bay. martindale rubs of 45,000 and above are preferable this is how hard wearing the fabric is, I call it... Bum rubs!
Cutting fabric
We were also given a demonstration on cutting material for a button and using a covering machine as demonstrated by Phil.
cutting the fabric
inserting the button ready to cover.
you then lay the material in the press and add pressure.
The end result one beautifully upholstered button.
This is the material from the base of the chair showing 3 layers. Its a good idea to keep the material that comes off your chairs for a pattern.
Next week we will be spending more time stripping the frame getting it ready to strengthen and paint. We also took a trip out to a sewing machine specialist in Surrey as we are on the look out for a semi pro machine and we also paid a visit to a fabric shop in Guildford,
Phil saw this amazing off cut for upholstery not enough for the chairs but we could not resist, a bargain at £10 a meter when its list price was £65, I know we have lots of projects.That's it's for now. Helen will be back with me next week.Bye for now Cas and Phil. (Bobbett and stand in) A link to Phil's work.
